Speaking & Events
Sydnie Beckman speaks on cyber governance, operational resilience, defense supply chains, critical minerals, capital markets, and the national security risks shaping strategic industries.
Her talks are designed for executive, board, legal, investor, cybersecurity, GRC, audit, mining, energy, defense, and critical infrastructure audiences that need practical insight on how cyber and operational risk affect business decisions.
Sydnie brings a cross-disciplinary perspective shaped by capital markets, operational risk, cybersecurity governance, regulated advisory environments, and independent research across gold, silver, uranium, and critical mineral equities.
She is available for conference talks, panels, workshops, executive briefings, podcasts, webinars, and private leadership sessions.
Featured Talks
Cyber Governance for America’s Critical Minerals Industry
Critical minerals companies are becoming more important to defense, energy security, industrial policy, and capital markets. But many organizations are still treating cybersecurity as a technical issue rather than an operational, governance, investor, and national security issue.
This session explores how cyber risk, operational resilience, third-party exposure, OT security, disclosure readiness, and board oversight intersect in the critical minerals sector.
Best for: mining executives, boards, investors, legal teams, GRC leaders, cybersecurity professionals, trade associations, and policy audiences.
Building Resilient Defense Supply Chains
Defense suppliers face growing expectations from prime contractors, federal customers, investors, insurers, and business partners. Even as specific compliance timelines evolve, supplier trust, operational resilience, documentation, and governance remain business-critical.
This session examines how defense suppliers can think beyond checkbox compliance and build a practical governance model around NIST 800-171, DFARS obligations, customer expectations, supplier risk, evidence readiness, and executive accountability.
Best for: defense suppliers, dual-use companies, manufacturers, technology providers, cybersecurity leaders, legal teams, and executives entering or expanding within the defense industrial base.
What Every Board Should Know About Operational Resilience
The most damaging cyber incidents are not always data breaches. They are events that stop production, disrupt customers, delay contracts, trigger disclosure questions, expose vendor dependencies, or reveal governance gaps.
This session helps boards and executive teams understand operational resilience as a leadership issue. Topics include ransomware, OT disruption, third-party compromise, escalation, disclosure, decision rights, risk acceptance, and board-level reporting.
Best for: boards, audit committees, CEOs, CFOs, general counsel, risk leaders, investors, public companies, pre-IPO companies, and operators in critical industries.
Additional Speaking Topics
Defense cyber readiness beyond CMMC: NIST 800-171, DFARS, supplier expectations, and governance
From SaaS to SCADA: understanding OT threats in the Mountain West
When a cyber incident becomes a disclosure event
Third-party and vendor risk as an executive decision-making issue
How critical infrastructure leaders can translate technical risk into board-ready decisions
Macroeconomic career strategy for GRC, audit, and cybersecurity professionals
Speaker Bio
Sydnie Beckman is the founder of Sturnella, a Wyoming-based advisory firm helping leaders in critical minerals, defense supply chains, energy infrastructure, and strategic industries make cyber and operational risk explainable, defensible, and decision-ready.
Her background spans capital markets, operational risk, cybersecurity governance, and regulated advisory environments, with senior experience across global financial institutions and advisory firms. She brings an executive lens to cyber risk: how it affects production, contracts, investors, boards, disclosure, and national security.
Sydnie holds CISSP, CCSP, SSCP, CISM, and PMP credentials. She also hosts Core Sample, a podcast focused on mining, critical minerals, defense, cybersecurity, and the national security risks shaping strategic industries.
Invite Sydnie to Speak
For conferences, trade associations, law firms, accounting and advisory firms, investor groups, boards, or leadership teams seeking an executive-level speaker on cyber governance, operational resilience, defense supply chains, critical minerals, or OT risk, contact Sturnella for availability and topic fit.
Upcoming Events
October 28, 2026
Women In Mining — Speaking at Lunch and Learn
Nevada · 12:30 AM
Session: “From Mine Site to Board Packet"
December 9, 2026
American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA)
Sparks, Nevada · Capital Markets Technical Session
When the Mill Stops: A Cyber Incident Tabletop for Mining’s Operational Technology
An interactive tabletop exercise examining how a cybersecurity incident can disrupt mining operations, affect production, and create financial and operational consequences. The session explores decision-making, operational dependencies, incident response, and the importance of cyber resilience across mining’s operational technology environments.
May 2–5, 2027
APCOM 2027
From Connected Equipment to Operational Resilience: Cybersecurity for OT/IT Convergence in Modern Mining
Montréal, Québec, Canada · Accepted Paper
An examination of cybersecurity challenges associated with increasingly connected mining equipment, industrial control systems, and enterprise technology. The paper explores OT/IT convergence, operational dependencies, cyber risk, and practical approaches to strengthening resilience across modern mining operations.
September 24, 2026
2026 Phoenix Security and Audit Conference
Phoenix, AZ · Conference Speaker · 3:15 PM
A speaking engagement bringing together cybersecurity, audit, and risk professionals to discuss emerging challenges in governance, risk management, and operational resilience.
September 22–24, 2026
Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit & Expo
From Compliance Gap to Contract Risk: CMMC Readiness for Defense Tech and Dual-Use Companies
National Harbor, MD · Poster Presentation
Poster Session: September 22, 4:00–6:00 PM
Presented research examining how cybersecurity readiness, supplier governance, and evolving CMMC requirements influence contract risk for defense technology and dual-use companies.
September 18, 2026
BSidesCache
From SaaS to SCADA: Understanding OT Threats in the Wasatch Front's Next Cybersecurity Cycle
Logan, UT · Conference Talk
Bridgerland Technical College, Health Sciences Building
Explored how defense, mining, utilities, energy, and industrial automation are reshaping cybersecurity demand across the Wasatch Front and Mountain West. The session covered IT/OT convergence, SCADA systems, common industrial threat pathways, and practical opportunities for cybersecurity professionals transitioning into OT security.
August 20, 2026
ISACA Houston
When the Choke Point Becomes the Attack Surface
Houston, TX · Conference Talk
Examined the intersection of geopolitical risk, strategic maritime chokepoints, energy infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The presentation connected global oil and gas supply chains, emerging cyber threats, and operational dependencies with practical governance and resilience considerations.
August 1–6, 2026
Black Hat USA 2026
Las Vegas, NV · Industry Conference · Attendee
Attended Black Hat USA to connect with cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, defense, OT security, risk, and operational resilience professionals.
July 30, 2026
ISACA San Diego & SecurityStudio Academy
From the Headlines to the Boardroom: Connecting Cyber Risk, Defense, and the Business
Virtual Coffee Talk · Guest Speaker
An online discussion connecting cybersecurity governance, CMMC attestation risk, SEC cyber disclosure, and board-level oversight with broader developments in defense, energy, critical minerals, and national security.
The session explored how cybersecurity and risk professionals can translate geopolitical and economic developments into practical conversations about contracts, operations, supply chains, and executive accountability.
July 24, 2026
BBWIC Foundation
Preparing for Hacker Summer Camp
Las Vegas, NV · Panel Discussion · Panelist
Joined a panel of cybersecurity leaders sharing conference-survival tips, networking and career advice, and practical guidance on making the most of Black Hat, DEF CON, BSides Las Vegas, The Diana Initiative, and the rest of Hacker Summer Camp.
Hosted by the BBWIC Foundation.
July 23, 2026
ISACA Utah Chapter
CMMC: A Practical Overview
Lehi, UT / Virtual · Conference Talk
A practical overview of CMMC and defense cybersecurity readiness for professionals navigating evolving requirements across the defense industrial base.
The session covered NIST SP 800-171, supplier expectations, governance, documentation, and readiness as part of a broader business risk and accountability program.
June 4–5, 2026
Elko Mining Expo
When a Cyber Incident Becomes a Disclosure Event
Elko, NV · Technical Talk
A technical talk focused on when a cybersecurity incident becomes a governance, disclosure, investor, and executive decision-making issue.
The session explored how cyber events can move beyond IT response and create implications for leadership, boards, legal teams, and public-company readiness.
May 14, 2026
ISACA Phoenix
Pivot With Purpose: Macroeconomic Career Strategy for GRC & Audit Professionals
Tempe, AZ · Workshop
A workshop for governance, risk, audit, and cybersecurity professionals on using macroeconomic signals, industry investment, market demand, personal strengths, and career strategy to make more intentional professional moves.
The presentation introduced a practical framework for identifying emerging opportunities and aligning professional strengths with evolving market needs.
April 9–10, 2026
BSidesSLC
Pivot With Purpose: Future-Proofing Your Cybersecurity Career
Sandy, UT · Conference Talk
Explored how macroeconomic trends, emerging technologies, capital flows, and geopolitical developments are reshaping career opportunities across cybersecurity and adjacent industries.
The session provided a framework for identifying growing market demand, understanding transferable skills, and making strategic, resilient, and purpose-driven career decisions.
Past Speaking Events for 2026
Contact
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